A couple of weeks ago I opened a lumpy white envelope from my dad, Chef Ira, and inside was a large piece of ginger root that looked a little, well actually a lot, like this.  You might ask why my dad sent me a huge piece of ginger root in an envelope.

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It turns out that when his friend Duane went out to pick up some groceries, my dad asked him to bring back a few pounds of ginger.  If you know my dad, that won’t surprise you in the least.  Of course, my dad meant candied ginger, but why would Duane know that?  Duane returned with a few pounds of ginger roots, and my dad figured out pretty quick that he’d better share the wealth.  Hence the lumpy envelope.  I guess I’m going to be making my own candied ginger root.  Here’s a recipe.

Peel 1 pound of fresh ginger root as well as you can.  It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be good enough.  Slice the naked ginger thinly, on the diagonal, about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick and up to 2 inches long.

Mix the ginger slices with 2 cups of coconut sugar or unrefined organic cane sugar until they are all coated evenly.  Measure out an additional one-half cup of sugar and put it aside.  Place the ginger into a large, heavy-bottom pot (stainless steel or enamel) with one-third cup of water.  Turn the heat to LOW and simmer 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the ginger cooks, sprinkle the extra one-half cup of sugar on a cookie sheet and set it aside.

Once the ginger slices turn clear and sugar crystals begin to form around the edges of the pot, lift out the slices with a slotted spoon and remove them to the cookie sheet.  Toss the ginger gently to coat it evenly.  Allow it to cool before storing.

Candied ginger is great in a cup of tea, or in baked apples, or sprinkled on yogurt, or just plain.  It’s a real, old-fashioned treat, a different kind of heat.